Vocational Qualification in Business

Studies and applying

Separate admission is for those who have completed basic education and are without completed vocational qualification.

The programme includes International Baccalaureate career-related studies (IBCP) age range 16-19. Our internationally geared study programme gives you both globally valid working life skills and academically challenging study component that improve s your thinking skills and intercultural understanding.

As a result of IB career-related studies you will be well-prepared for applying to higher education.

Read more about IB Career-related studies

Who can apply

Basic entrance requirements for studying Vocational qualification in Business:

• Completed Finnish comprehensive school or other basic education (approximately nine years, age 7-16)
• Good written and oral command in the English language
• Basic level command of Finnish language (A.1.3 European language framework)

This study programme is for those who have completed basic education and are without completed vocational qualification. Upper secondary or higher education graduates with completed qualification cannot be accepted.

Applicants without Finnish basic education certificate

• Copy of original basic education certificate must be certified by authorized public body.
• Copy of original basic education certificate must be translated into English and certified translator.

• Finnish language fluency (level A.1.3 European language framework) will be tested.

Foreign applicants under 18 years old must have a legal guardian living in the Oulu area.
We will check the eligibility and guardian’s information before inviting the applicant to a selection interview.

How to apply

• Read the applicant’s quide before filling in the application form.
• Fill in the online application form. The application form is available during the application period from 18 February to 18 March 2025 and closes on the last day of application at 15:00 Finnish time.
• Attach copies of the school certificates to the application form.
• If you are graduating from a Finnish comprehensive school (peruskoulu) in the spring 2024, deliver a photocopy of the school certificate by 7 June 2025.
• Invitations to entrance examination are sent to all invited applicants by email.
• The entrance examination is arranged on May 2025 in Oulu. We cannot arrange any entrance examinations online.
• The results of student selection will be published 11th June 2025 at the earliest.
• Studies start on 6th August 2025. All selected students must bring their original documents to be verified on the first day of their studies.

Delivery address for the documents

KV-merkonomivalinta
OSAO, Kaukovainion yksikkö, palvelut
Kotkantie 1
90250 OULU
Finland

Documents by email to kaukovainio.palvelut@osao.fi.

Planned duration of studies

Planned duration is three years.

Selection criteria

Admission points are awarded for general academic success and for entrance examination result.

Some applicants can be accepted in discretionary selection. The reasons for discretionary selection are e.g. difficulties in determining the applicability of certificates (applicants without the Finnish national qualifications in basic education).

If you have the required amount of points but lack sufficient readiness in oral and written communication in English, you cannot be admitted to the study programme.

Structure of studies

Vocational units 145 competence points(cp)

Compulsory vocational units (40 cp)

• Customer Service, 15 cp
• Operating in a business environment 25 cp

Optional vocational units (105 cp)

• IBDP Business management, SL, 15 cp
• IBDP English B, SL, 10 cp
• IBCP Reflective project, 5 cp
• Other vocational units 75 cp

Common units, 35 competence points

• Communication and interaction competence
• Mathematics and science competence
• Citizenship and working life competence

Read more information about qualification  at Studyinfo.

Note! The national requirements of the qualification will be renewed as of 1.8.2024. Please view the new draft here (in Finnish).

Cost of studying

Education is free. You have to have an own laptop and you buy the books yourself. In addition, IB examination fees round 200 euros.

Further information

Tiina Karvonen, Head of Department
+358 50 462 4720
tiina.karvonen(at)osao.fi

Anni Saaranen, Guidance Counsellor
+358 40 184 9342
anni.saaranen(at)osao.fi

Applying

Apply for training 

You have to fill in an online application form. The application form is available during the application period. You can attach the required documents to your application.

With legal guardian we most often refer to the parent; legal guardian has the right to decide for matters concerning a student that is under 18 years old. For example, if an underaged student has some problems, we must be able to contact the legal guardian and have them responsible for helping the student.

No, unfortunately we can not arrange any examinations, Learning preparedness test, Finnish language test or an interview online. You have to attend the exam, tests and the interview in Oulu, Finland. 

No, we follow the Finnish national joint application criteria in which you do not get any extra points from work experience. 

No, your English skill are tested in the entrance examination or in the interview.

Yes, you can apply. Basic entrance requirements are completed Finnish comprehensive school or corresponding education (9 years of education), Good written and oral command of the English language and  basic level command of the Finnish language (A.1.3 European language framework) 

Vocational Qualifications include Finnish as a second language studies and customer service Finnish skills. In order to pass the level required a student must have basic command of the Finnish language at the beginning.  The level recommended is A.1.3 in European language framework.   

The Finnish language fluency will be tested. You can study the basics of Finnish before the entrance examination or the Finnish language test.  

You must attach copies of the school certificates and an official English translation to the application. The translation must be done by an authorised translator and must include the translator’s signature and stamp. 

Upper secondary or higher education graduates can apply in rolling admission. 

Upper secondary or higher education graduates with completed qualification cannot be accepted in separate admission (Vocational Qualification in Business including IBCP studies). If you are eligible for higher education in Finland, you can’t apply for our education in separate application. 

You don’t have to study especially for the entrance examination. The entrance examination measures oral and written English language skills, learning skills, and learning motivation.

There is no tuition fee. Students are required to finance their studies and living expenses themselves. We don’t have a dormitory.

OSAO does not have scholarships available for international students and cannot offer financial assistance to students.